HES Reflects Brightly on BOFFO Fashion Exhibit

A temporary designer fashion store, taking on the appearance of a “mirrored cave,” became the focus of Focus Lighting during New York City's Fashion Week. High End Systems
intellaspots added pizzazz, with extra effects from an
FQ-100 fog machine and control on a
Road Hog Full Boar console.

The temporary exhibit, designed by Gage/Clemenceau Architects, was a 1,300 sq. ft. pop-up shop for BOFFO Building Fashion. BOFFO is a non-profit arts and culture organization in New York which uses temporary locations to challenge artists.

Open for a limited time from Sept. 10- 21, the installation exhibited limited edition pieces by Nicola Formichetti, the fashion director for Lady Gaga, creative director for Mugler, and fashion stylist to Uniqlo.

Focus Lighting's Brett Andersen was the principal in charge, working with architects Mark Gage and Marc Bailly to integrate the lighting design into the avant-garde environment. “The High End Systems equipment did the heavy lifting,” Andersen said. “It turned the environment into one of dynamic energy and excitement.”

Focus Lighting's Joshua Spitzig said, “The High End Systems equipment had a huge impact in the final design of the space. The original plan was to conceal the intellaspots, but fashion designer Formichetti liked the look of the fixtures so much that he asked us to leave them in the open right next to the patrons. Personally, I loved the way the lines of the fixtures complemented the futuristic fashion in the store.”

Spitzig handled the technical details, programming the lights and FQ-100 fog machine for a multitude of looks. LD Guy Smith was brought in on opening day to run the console to pump up the patrons at the VIP event.

Focus Lighting's Paul Gregory said, “Focus Lighting sought to use lighting to create an ethereal space where the fashion becomes the room. This was achieved by lighting the merchandise and the patrons with moving patterns of light, which were then constantly reflected in the multi-faceted mirrored space. The architects – Mark Foster Gage and Marc Clemenceau Bailly - designed an experimental space that not only showcases, but magnifies the impact of [Formichetti's] fashion designs into a new form of immersive environment that fuses the very genetics of architecture and fashion.”

To achieve the “mirrored cave,” the space was outfitted with hundreds of machine-cut reflective surfaces.

One intellaspot was placed on the floor in the middle of the space, to highlight the main group of mannequins. It also created a more dramatic effect effect by bouncing light off of the mirrored ceiling along the centerline of the space. “Angling the intellaspot upward reflected patterned light back down on the central display tables in a striking way,” Spitzig explained.

The other two intellaspots created fan effects from the corners. This position also allowed light to bounce off of the mirrored walls and back onto product displays from odd angles.

The FQ-100 fog machine added volume and depth to the intellaspot beams, and transformed the space, Spitzig noted. “It's a powerful machine. We only needed a small percentage of its output to fill the room.”

“Using the Full Boar was a pleasure,” he added. “The Road Hog made it easy to quickly cue all of the dissimilar fixtures in unison. We were also grateful for the console's flexibility. Much of the original programming was relatively calm and slow. During the opening night VIP party, the music was loud and the energy of the room was high. Nicola called us over and asked us to â€˜make the lights go crazy.' Guy Smith was able to quickly use the Road Hog to add chases and strobe effects to immediately adapt to the needs of the event.”

Spitzig and Andersen thanked HES' Darin Fowler for introducing them to the intellaspot - which made their A-List for this fashionable install - and Scott Thurm, lighting coordinator for BOFFO Building Fashion 2011.

“It was an excellent collaborative experience,” Spitzig said, “and, in terms of lighting, the High End Systems equipment was the star of the show.”